Barcelona Receive Seven-figure Pay-out From Lionel Messi Reaching World Cup
Barcelona are set to receive €3.88million (£3.35m) after 23 current and former players appeared at the World Cup in Qatar including Lionel Messi.
The Argentina captain, 35, left Barcelona to join Paris Saint-Germain in August 2021. As per an agreement with the European Club Association (ECA), FIFA must pay clubs $10,000 (£8.13k) per day for the release of each player competing at the tournament in Qatar.
Yet this figure will be divided between every club each player has represented between August 2020 and the present. As such, Barcelona are owed a chunk of the money accrued by Messi’s participation in the World Cup, which will end with the final on Sunday.
Messi’s Argentina reached their second World Cup final in eight years after beating Croatia 3-0 at the Lusail Stadium on Tuesday. Lionel Scaloni’s side will face defending campions France after their 2-0 win against Morocco at the Al Bayt Stadium on Wednesday.
According to calculations made by Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona are owed around £2,800 of Messi’s daily rate. They will also pocket the full amount from current stars Jules Kounde and Ousmane Dembele reaching the final with France.
The other Barcelona players to appear in Qatar are Memphis Depay, Frenkie de Jong, Robert Lewandowski, Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Eric Garcia, Sergio Busquets, Gavi, Alejandro Balde, Jordi Alba, Ansu Fati, Pedri and Raphinha.
Messi isn’t the only former Barcelona player to earn the club some cash at the World Cup. Antoine Griezmann, who returned to Atletico Madrid in August 2021, has reached the final with France – while Brazil’s Dani Alves was part of Xavi’s side last season.
Luuk de Jong, who spent last term on loan at Barcelona, was a member of the Netherlands’ squad for the tournament, while Martin Braithwaite was called up by Denmark after the Camp Nou in September. The final two players to make Barcelona some money are Sergino Dest and Abde Ezzalzouli, who are on loan at AC Milan and Osasuna respectively.
Messi won’t be too concerned about Barcelona’s bank balance, as he prepares to play in his second World Cup final. Argentina’s talisman, who lost the 2014 final to Germany, has admitted Sunday’s game will be his last for his country in the prestigious competition.
Messi told reporters: “I am very happy for finishing my journey in World Cups in a final, to play the last game in a final. That is really very gratifying. Everything I lived in this World Cup has been emotional, seeing how much it has been enjoyed in Argentina.
“There are a lot of years from this year to the next one. I don’t think I will be able to do that. To finish this way is brilliant… We are going to do our best, as we have done up until now, so that this time it really happens – we really win it.
“I have been enjoying it the past few years, being with the national side. I am really enjoying everything that is happening to us… I hope the people in Argentina enjoy themselves and what we are doing. They shouldn’t doubt we are giving absolutely everything.”
